When Eshan Sobti first took the stage at the Clarke Theatre in Mission at seven years old, he found his voice.
“Back then I had literally no idea what I was doing. I was just singing and figuring it out. I was nervous, but so young that I’m like, ‘Whatever, I’m gonna go sing’,” Sobti said.
The Mission singer competed in local talent shows for several years but now finds himself showcasing his talent on a much larger stage.
Sobti auditioned for Canada’s Got Talent and will be featured in the upcoming episode on April 30.
“I’m really excited and very nervous because this is something that I’ve been wanting to do for so many years — especially performing on a Canadian stage,” Sobti said.
Sobti previously auditioned for American Idol in 2022 at 17 years old. He received a golden ticket and was one of three Canadians to advance to Hollywood Week that year.
Going into the Canada’s Got Talent audition, Sobti’s previous experience on American Idol allowed him to know how shows like this work and the type of songs and arrangements that would impress people.
“I’ve done American Idol but obviously that’s in America and you’re not American. So you feel out of place. But here I was excited and nervous because I haven’t really showcased myself on a stage like that before,” Sobti said.
While Sobti can’t share too many details about the audition, he says viewers can expect a different take on a very popular song.
Viewers might also expect some tears, and to hear more about Sobti’s journey.
He says growing up in a Punjabi household, music and other creative industries often aren’t seen as a feasible career.
“I wasn’t confident growing up because I think people would say things about my appearance and about my voice and how I can never be a singer because I looked a certain way. So I just really want Mission to support me because I want them to know that it doesn’t matter where you come from, what you look like, who you are, what culture you come from – you can still follow your dreams and reach your goals.”
Since appearing on American Idol, Sobti graduated from high school in Abbotsford and moved to Toronto for university. He currently studies media production at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson).
He has joined a school a cappella group and has been able to refine the type of music he wants to make.
“I’ve been starting to write my own music. Back on American Idol, I wouldn’t say that I really knew what type of artist I wanted to be,” he said.
Sobti is gravitating towards the pop/R&B genre with influences such as Sam Smith, Bruno Mars, Daniel Caesar and more.
He is excited to represent Mission on Canada’s Got Talent and hopes to get Fraser Valley-wide support.
“Through all the adversity I faced, I got to this point. So I really hope that [Mission is] proud of me,” he said.
The next episode of Canada’s Got Talent airs on April 30 on Citytv.